Snow tiller and method of adjusting the same

Abstract

A snow tiller for grooming the snow cover of ski slopes comprises: a frame, which comprises at least one front attachment configured to connect the snow tiller to a hitch device of the tracked vehicle; at least one tiller module having a shaft, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation and is provided with a plurality of tools configured to penetrate the snow cover, a hood, which is arranged about the shaft, and is supported by the frame, and an adjusting device, which is configured to adjust the position of the shaft with respect to the hood; and a finisher, having a flexible mat, which is configured to compact the snow cover and to define a support zone of the snow tiller on the snow cover.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A snow tiller comprising:
 a frame comprising a front attachment configured to connect the snow tiller to a hitch device of a tracked vehicle; 
 a tiller module comprising:
 a shaft rotatable about an axis of rotation, coupled with a plurality of tools configured to penetrate a snow cover, and articulately supported about a first axis which is parallel to the axis of rotation of the shaft and arranged in a front part of the snow tiller with respect to the shaft; 
 a hood arranged about the shaft, supported by the frame and configured to support the shaft, the hood comprising two side walls; and 
 an adjusting device configured to adjust a position of the shaft with respect to the hood, the adjusting device comprising at least two plate-shaped arms configured to support the shaft at opposite ends of the shaft, each plate-shaped arm being hinged to the hood about the first axis, each plate-shaped-shaped arm being mounted directly against an outer face of a respective side wall of the hood, and each plate-shaped arm being configured to slide along the respective side wall of the hood to a plurality of different positions; and 
 
 a finisher comprising a flexible mat configured to compact the snow cover and which is configured to define a support zone of the snow tiller on the snow cover. 
 
     
     
       2. The snow tiller of  claim 1 , wherein each plate-shaped arm is guided at an opposite end of the first axis with respect to the shaft by a cam/groove coupling configured to support the respective plate-shaped arm. 
     
     
       3. The snow tiller of  claim 1 , further comprising a drive member configured to rotate the shaft about the axis of rotation, wherein one of the at least two plate-shaped arms supports the drive member. 
     
     
       4. The snow tiller of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting device comprises an actuator configured to control the position of the shaft with respect to the hood. 
     
     
       5. The snow tiller of  claim 4 , wherein the adjusting device comprises a mechanical transmission between the actuator and the shaft. 
     
     
       6. The snow tiller of  claim 5 , wherein the mechanical transmission comprises a crank shaft, and for each of the at least two plate-shaped arms of the adjusting device, two rods to connect the crank shaft to that plate-shaped arm. 
     
     
       7. The snow tiller of  claim 6 , wherein the crank shaft is rotatably mounted with respect to the hood about a second axis parallel to the first axis. 
     
     
       8. The snow tiller of  claim 1 , wherein the finisher comprises a pressure bar arranged on the flexible mat, the pressure bar being connected to the hood and defining a second axis about which the frame and the hood vary an inclination and a work configuration. 
     
     
       9. A method for adjusting a snow tiller comprising a frame, a tiller module, and a finisher, the method comprising:
 adjusting a position of a shaft of the tiller module of the snow tiller with respect to the frame of the snow tiller and a hood of the tiller module of the snow tiller, wherein:
 the shaft is rotatable about an axis of rotation and coupled with a plurality of tools configured to penetrate a snow cover, 
 the hood comprises two side walls, is arranged about the shaft, is supported by the frame, supports the shaft, and is connected to the shaft by at least two plate-shaped arms that are each mounted directly against an outer face of a respective side wall of the hood and are each configured to slide along the respective side wall of the hood to a plurality of different positions, and 
 the finisher comprising a flexible mat configured to compact the snow cover and configured to define a support zone of the snow tiller on the snow cover; and 
 
 varying an inclination of the frame and the hood about an axis arranged at the finisher. 
 
     
     
       10. A snow tiller comprising:
 a frame comprising a front attachment configured to connect the snow tiller to a hitch device of a tracked vehicle; 
 a tiller module comprising:
 a shaft rotatable about an axis of rotation, coupled with a plurality of tools configured to penetrate a snow cover, and articulately supported about a first axis which is parallel to the axis of rotation of the shaft and arranged in a front part of the snow tiller with respect to the shaft; 
 a hood arranged about the shaft, supported by the frame and configured to support the shaft, the hood comprising two side walls; and 
 an adjusting device comprising:
 an actuator configured to control a position of the shaft with respect to the hood, 
 a mechanical transmission between the actuator and the shaft, 
 a crank shaft, 
 at least two plate-shaped arms configured to support the shaft at opposite ends of the shaft, each plate-shaped arm being hinged to the hood about the first axis and each plate-shaped and each plate-shaped arm being slideably mounted along a respective side wall of the hood, and 
 for each of the at least two plate-shaped arms, two rods to connect the crank shaft to that plate-shaped arm, wherein the crank shaft is rotatably mounted with respect to the hood about a second axis parallel to the first axis; and 
 
 a finisher comprising a flexible mat configured to compact the snow cover and which is configured to define a support zone of the snow tiller on the snow cover.